Mississippi State begins its season this Saturday with a trip to Hattiesburg to face in-state nonconference opponent Southern Miss.
To preview the matchup and gather an understanding of MSU’s opponent, The Dispatch exchanged questions with Micah Gibbs, the sports director for SM2, the student-led publication at
Southern Miss.
The Dispatch: After going 1-11 last year, there is some hype for USM after an exciting head coaching hire in Charles Huff. Have you gotten that sense on campus?
Micah Gibbs: There has been a huge boost in excitement and morale. A lot of people are yearning for a winning season, and they believe Coach Huff can get it done.
The Dispatch: Based on the offseason and spring game, what sort of football team are you expecting the Golden Eagles to be this season?
Gibbs: Offensively, I am expecting an air-raid, up-tempo-style-patented Blake Anderson offense. Lots of quick game setting up big plays downfield and using the run to set up play action.
Defensively, the new additions to the DB room and interior defensive line should see both a stronger run defense from last year and a much-improved pass defense on the back end.
The Dispatch: Braylon Braxton and Josh Moten are two high-profile guys who joined the program, but who are some other players who you think could be big contributors this year?
Gibbs: Sophomore linebacker Chris Jones, who they have nicknamed “Superman,” is going to be a key player this year. Brodarius Lewis, a veteran defensive lineman, is going to help that group mesh together throughout this season.
The whole WR room will be key for us to win, especially with Braylon being so highly touted nationally, but more specifically, be on the lookout for Chester Montgomery. Return man Ian Foster can definitely provide a spark in the special teams area, and Mississippi State transfer Kyirin Heath might be looking for a revenge game this Saturday.
The Dispatch: Do you expect a home crowd factor in favor of the Golden Eagles?
Gibbs: Most definitely. We are expecting a sold-out stadium on Saturday. The Rock and USM fans will see an atmosphere that they haven’t seen in a while.
The Dispatch: How is USM treating this game, considering they’re hosting an in-state Power Four opponent coming off a bad season?
Gibbs: The football team has been dialed in. They’ve limited distractions, pushed hard in the spring and summer to prepare physically for this season, and I expect them to come out gunning for Mississippi State’s head. Coach Huff is no stranger to big-time opponents, so I expect them to be ready to rock and roll come Saturday.
The Dispatch: What has to happen for Southern Miss to win this game?
Gibbs: For us to win this game, Southern Miss has to get Braylon’s legs involved early because that’s how he gets going as a quarterback. They have to limit turnovers and play a time-of-possession ballgame. Defensively, they need to keep pressure on Blake Shapen. A veteran QB who is going into his last year of college football, he’ll be looking to start his senior campaign off with a bang.
They also need to be prepared for the freshmen. They have Kamario Taylor listed as the third QB, but I suspect he’ll get some short-yardage chances and maybe a goal-line opportunity. Lastly, they need to stick to the plan and play a clean game. The best way to beat an SEC team is to limit mistakes and execute properly.
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
